Reborn in Konoha, Sailing to the Grand Line

Ethan's Return to Konoha

At this time, Uchiha Sarah was already waiting at home.

Seeing Ethan and the others return, Sarah smiled knowingly. "You're back? If you had taken any longer, I was about to go and bring you back myself!"

She walked forward, her eyes soft yet sharp as she examined her son. "Ethan, are you completely healed? Let me take a look."

Without waiting for a response, she placed a hand on his shoulder, sending a pulse of her chakra and mental energy into his body, scanning him from the inside out. She checked for any lingering signs of damage, ensuring his life source was intact.

To her delight, she found no issues—only strength. In fact, his life force had grown even stronger than an average shinobi of his age.

Relieved, Sarah withdrew her chakra and affectionately ruffled his hair. "Wonderful! Finally, you're completely healed!"

Her smile deepened as a wave of emotions washed over her. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

The weight of months of worry lifted from her heart. Finally, her son was whole again.

Moving Forward

Ethan chuckled. "I know I worried you, Mom. But things will only get better from here."

He clenched his fists slightly, feeling the raw power coursing through his rejuvenated body. "Now that I've recovered, I can finally train properly. I'll become stronger."

Sarah nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit. But first, let's have breakfast. We have an important meeting with the Senju Clan later."

She motioned for Ethan and Mikoto to sit at the dining table, where breakfast was already prepared.

As they ate, Sarah turned to Mikoto and asked, "Are you going to school today?"

Mikoto shook her head. "No, I have the day off. But I made plans with Kushina to go shopping. If you're heading to the Senju Clan, we can walk part of the way together."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Uzumaki Kushina? I know her. She has a lot of potential. You should maintain a good relationship with her."

She knew that, in the short term, Kushina might not immediately become the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, especially if today's deal went as planned. If Uzumaki Mito was successfully treated, she would live much longer. Being a long-lived Uzumaki, Mito's lifespan was only cut short due to the constant toll of sealing the Nine-Tails.

With Ethan's new medical advancements, it was possible that Mito's life force could be restored.

"Yeah!" Mikoto nodded. "Kushina's great! We get along really well."

She was oblivious to the deeper meaning behind Sarah's words. For her, her friendship with Kushina was genuine, with no hidden agendas.

After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, Sarah, Ethan, and Mikoto set out for the Senju Clan's territory.

Meeting the Senju Clan

It took them a little over ten minutes to arrive at the large, elegant Senju estate, where Uzumaki Mito resided.

As they approached the entrance, they found Uzumaki Mito herself, standing at the gate with Tsunade beside her.

"Sarah, you're here! Welcome! Please, come inside," Mito greeted warmly, a knowing smile on her lips.

Tsunade nodded in greeting as well. "Welcome, Sarah-sama."

Sarah, pleased with the respectful reception, gave a polite nod. "Thank you for having us. Excuse our intrusion."

As they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. A sense of anticipation and secrecy filled the air.

Unseen to the casual observer, many Anbu and even Root operatives lurked in the surrounding area, attempting to spy on the meeting.

However, Mito had already anticipated this.

With a wave of her hand, she sealed the gates behind them and lightly stepped forward, activating an intricate series of barriers.

Instantly, the entire compound was covered by soundproofing seals, anti-spying barriers, and chakra-disrupting seals—completely cutting off any outside interference.

No matter how much Anbu or Root wished to listen in, they would hear nothing.

With their privacy secured, Mito turned back to Sarah, her expression turning more serious.

"Now, let's begin."

Ethan's Return to Konoha

At this time, Uchiha Sarah was already waiting at home.

Seeing Ethan and the others return, Sarah smiled knowingly. "You're back? If you had taken any longer, I was about to go and bring you back myself!"

She walked forward, her eyes soft yet sharp as she examined her son. "Ethan, are you completely healed? Let me take a look."

Without waiting for a response, she placed a hand on his shoulder, sending a pulse of her chakra and mental energy into his body, scanning him from the inside out. She checked for any lingering signs of damage, ensuring his life source was intact.

To her delight, she found no issues—only strength. In fact, his life force had grown even stronger than an average shinobi of his age.

Relieved, Sarah withdrew her chakra and affectionately ruffled his hair. "Wonderful! Finally, you're completely healed!"

Her smile deepened as a wave of emotions washed over her. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

The weight of months of worry lifted from her heart. Finally, her son was whole again.

Moving Forward

Ethan chuckled. "I know I worried you, Mom. But things will only get better from here."

He clenched his fists slightly, feeling the raw power coursing through his rejuvenated body. "Now that I've recovered, I can finally train properly. I'll become stronger."

Sarah nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit. But first, let's have breakfast. We have an important meeting with the Senju Clan later."

She motioned for Ethan and Mikoto to sit at the dining table, where breakfast was already prepared.

As they ate, Sarah turned to Mikoto and asked, "Are you going to school today?"

Mikoto shook her head. "No, I have the day off. But I made plans with Kushina to go shopping. If you're heading to the Senju Clan, we can walk part of the way together."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Uzumaki Kushina? I know her. She has a lot of potential. You should maintain a good relationship with her."

She knew that, in the short term, Kushina might not immediately become the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, especially if today's deal went as planned. If Uzumaki Mito was successfully treated, she would live much longer. Being a long-lived Uzumaki, Mito's lifespan was only cut short due to the constant toll of sealing the Nine-Tails.

With Ethan's new medical advancements, it was possible that Mito's life force could be restored.

"Yeah!" Mikoto nodded. "Kushina's great! We get along really well."

She was oblivious to the deeper meaning behind Sarah's words. For her, her friendship with Kushina was genuine, with no hidden agendas.

After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, Sarah, Ethan, and Mikoto set out for the Senju Clan's territory.

Meeting the Senju Clan

It took them a little over ten minutes to arrive at the large, elegant Senju estate, where Uzumaki Mito resided.

As they approached the entrance, they found Uzumaki Mito herself, standing at the gate with Tsunade beside her.

"Sarah, you're here! Welcome! Please, come inside," Mito greeted warmly, a knowing smile on her lips.

Tsunade nodded in greeting as well. "Welcome, Sarah-sama."

Sarah, pleased with the respectful reception, gave a polite nod. "Thank you for having us. Excuse our intrusion."

As they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. A sense of anticipation and secrecy filled the air.

Unseen to the casual observer, many Anbu and even Root operatives lurked in the surrounding area, attempting to spy on the meeting.

However, Mito had already anticipated this.

With a wave of her hand, she sealed the gates behind them and lightly stepped forward, activating an intricate series of barriers.

Instantly, the entire compound was covered by soundproofing seals, anti-spying barriers, and chakra-disrupting seals—completely cutting off any outside interference.

No matter how much Anbu or Root wished to listen in, they would hear nothing.

With their privacy secured, Mito turned back to Sarah, her expression turning more serious.

"Now, let's begin."

The Hokage's Frustration

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage sighed, staring at the now-blank crystal ball in front of him.

"Ah… I was hoping for too much," he muttered. "It seems we'll have to rely on Lady Mito's report afterward. I just hope this isn't bad news."

Danzo, standing nearby, scoffed. "You always boast about your Telescope Technique, yet this is all it amounts to? It seems it's only good for peeking into the hot springs."

The Third Hokage's face turned red as Utatane Koharu clicked her tongue in disapproval, while Mitokado Homura barely held back a laugh.

"You…" Hiruzen stammered, his face burning. "Danzo, don't talk nonsense! When have I ever used this technique for such things?!"

He quickly turned to Koharu, his voice desperate. "Koharu, don't believe him! You know me better than that!"

Koharu crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Do I? We've known each other for years, Hiruzen. Who doesn't know your habits?"

Hiruzen paled. He wasn't worried about Koharu—he was worried about his wife, Biwako. If she heard about this from Koharu, he was finished.

"Please, let this go! Don't tell Biwako!" he pleaded.

Koharu smirked but relented. "Fine. This time. But let's get back to business."

She straightened her posture. "Hiruzen, what do you think Mito and Sarah will discuss? Do you believe Sarah has truly recovered?"

The Third Hokage's expression darkened. "Almost certainly. Danzo and I have been observing from a distance. If she isn't fully recovered, she's close enough that it doesn't matter."

Danzo nodded grimly. "We have to assume she's back at full strength."

Koharu frowned. "If that's the case, then we should stop interfering with Uchiha for the time being. If we push too hard now, it could backfire."

"I just hope Lady Mito doesn't do anything… unexpected," Homura added. "If she and Sarah form an alliance, we may have to reconsider our approach entirely."

The room fell into uneasy silence.

The Truth Revealed

Back in the Senju estate, after welcoming them inside, Mito wasted no time getting to the point.

After sending Kushina and Mikoto off to shop, she sat opposite Sarah, studying her carefully before speaking.

"I had assumed your recovery was mostly superficial," Mito admitted, eyes narrowing slightly. "But Tsunade assured me otherwise. And now, seeing you in person, I understand the truth."

Her gaze sharpened. "You haven't just recovered, Sarah. You've surpassed your former peak. Your vitality, chakra, and mental strength have all increased dramatically. Even your pupil power has returned."

Mito let out a breath. "To be honest, if I didn't know better, I would think you had Senju or Uzumaki blood."

Her eyes flickered to Ethan. "And your son—his case is even more shocking. From a sickly, fragile child to someone with a life force stronger than most shinobi his age…"

She leaned forward slightly. "Tell me, Sarah—what exactly did you experience to bring about this transformation?"